Undertone
by Shonex
Summary: Sans was perfectly happy with his brother below ground. Sure, it was getting dull, but it was his home. He didn't expect that human to come along and take away the one thing he had cared about the most. And, now, it looks like he can't look towards his brother for help anymore. He was on his own now. And he'd have to do everything he could to not screw up again. (My own AU)
1. The Beginning

**Heeeello everyone! And welcome to what I like to call "Undertone". This was an AU I had thought up when I saw all the different versions of Sans! I felt that the title "Undertone" would fit the version of Sans I had created. Undertone relates to both sound and music itself and atmosphere (of a situation. Tense, lighthearted, etc.) If ya got any more questions or headcanons, PLEASE tell me them! Because I love reviews sooo much :D Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. Until then!**

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Hey, if you don't already know, my name is Sans. Sans the skeleton. I used to live in the Underground with my younger brother Papyrus. The Underground wasn't bad of a place, but I've always wondered how it felt to be above ground. Monsters have been stuck down here for more years than even Asgore can count. He lost the number at around 500 or so. Of course, he's far older than that now, FAR older. Asgore wasn't that bad of a guy. In fact, he was known for being overly kind and caring. He was a great king to us all. Life started getting dull down in the Underground, but Asgore insisted that we should hold onto our hopes and continue to fight for freedom. But now...I don't even know if it's worth it anymore...

My life wasn't that normal at all. I was blind. So, everything that I wanted to see was covered by a black void. Sure, I could use my other senses, but I was bad at it, terribly bad. So, Papyrus would help me walk around. One day, Paps went and got me a pair of blue headphones. I don't really know where he was going with it at first, but he insisted that I'd love it. Papyrus was a BIG music lover, and I'd constantly see him listening to new hits that a ghost named Napstablook, whoever he was, fire out constantly. Napstablook wasn't at ALL that bad of a music maker. In fact, when it came to music, he was better than Mettaton! The gift that my headphones went and had was that they would play out different music by themselves. They didn't need to be hooked up to some sort of phone or anything like that. They just went ahead and played music on their own. I would walk around our house and bump into things when Papyrus wasn't around to help me. Every time I'd hit something, though, a sound would play in the music I listened through my headphones. There would be a slight buildup, and then I'd hear a random sound play. That was when I was supposed to dodge. Eventually, I used the music I was hearing to move out of the way of the furniture.

I got better with the strategy I had. I would use the main part, the melody, of songs to dodge. I was a bit rusty at it, but I was able to mostly fine-tune myself into keeping my skull where it was on my body. I really owe it to Papyrus for giving me these headphones. But I had to wonder if he knew about the trick that they had. Eventually, I refused to take them off. I didn't need Papyrus to help me around anymore because I had these headphones of mine. Though, having him help me was one of the few times I'd get to spend with him. I wish I knew what he looked like, though. People said that when he gets excited, his eyes shimmer a bit. And me, being blind, was unable to see that big smiling face of his. People also said that he'd look like that when he listens to music. Like I said, he loved that stuff. He was so into music, he wore a white scarf with a music sheet pattern on it.

Often, I'd try and play a few games that Papyrus would enjoy. There was this one time Papyrus convinced me to go outside and have a snowball fight with him. I tried to tell him that I was blind, but he didn't listen.

"HEY SANS, DODGE THIS!" He said.

"p-papyrus, i- AAAGH!"

"WHOOPS...UH, SO...TV?"

"papyrus..."

"RIGHT, RIGHT," He says,"MY BAD,"

He'd always be reminded of it though, so it wasn't too bad. One day, Papyrus went and told me he had found a human. I didn't have experience with humans before. Usually, the other six that had passed through here weren't seen by me. Mostly because I stayed inside our house whenever possible. I LOATHED the outdoors simply because I'd hit things all the time. But...Papyrus was pushing me like usual so I HAD to go see. Though Papyrus had his quirks, I couldn't hate the guy. He was too optimistic and happy for me to be mad at him. Plus, he was my brother, and the only family I have. When he brought me to the human, I'm assuming it was a human, anyway, he instantly hopped onto the idea of capturing it.

"HUMAN, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SHALL CAPTURE YOU!...AFTER NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF PUZZLES," He says,"NYEH-HEH-HEH-HEH!"

Papyrus speeds off into the forest to prepare "numerous amounts of puzzles". He really loved those things. Even more so than he did with music. Personally, I just power through his puzzles to hear that cheerful voice of his. It's really one of the most notable things about him. Papyrus spoke in this loud, overly happy voice. And though I couldn't see him, people said he always walked around with a big smile on his face. It was as if simply existing was the best thing ever to him. Really, I could learn from him. The guy knew how to stay positive, even in the worst of situations. After Papyrus was clean out of sight, I speak to the human.

"heya kiddo, how's it goin'?"

A low flute note plays in my headphones and I step off to the side. The human just walks off, as if I'm not even standing there in the first place. I scratch my skull for a bit and just shrug. Maybe they're too busy. Either way, I'm heading back indoors...wait a second.

"PAPYRUS! I CAN'T SEE! HELP!"

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 **It was basically just backstory, but I hope it was interesting enough for you guys to share your thoughts. PLEASE REVIEW, I LOVE SEEING THEM! Writing is my passion, and criticism helps move it along. So, pay your two cents and help me! (If that sounded forceful, I'm sorry ._.) Anyways, if you guys enjoyed this chapter, review, favorite, or follow for more updates on this story. Until then!**


	2. Too Late

**I was honestly debating whether or not to continue this story. The reason for that being because I can't bring myself to make a storyline where everybody dies. It's dark...and a lot more crazy than what I usually write into my stories. But, you never know how stories are going to go until you read them...or somebody spoils it...but we'll talk about THOSE people later. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Until then!**

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(Third POV)

Sans sat on his bed and played the trombone he'd been keeping around. It was something he had since his younger days. Occasionally, he'd pop outside of his room for a bit and play it loudly. Of course, this upset Papyrus, who always seemed to be experiencing something unfortunate. Sans, being himself, would always play three descending notes on his trombone just to make the situation comical. Papyrus would often rant on how Sans needed to get rid of the old trombone and move onto other instruments. Unlike Sans, who stuck to one instrument and loved it, Papyrus would move from different instruments AND music. One day, he'd be all for country and the next, he'd enjoy pop. Sans felt that it was nice to have variety, but also insisted that sticking with one thing isn't bad. He claimed it just meant that you're devoted enough to stand by it.

Sans wore a silver-colored hoodie with a white turtleneck underneath it. His shorts were black and had white stripes going along one side of them. His shoes were black as well. He always had his trademark blue headphones on. On both headphones were a black music note, a quaver. Papyrus opens the door and walks in the room. Sans stops playing and looks to where Papyrus walked in. Papyrus was wearing a costume that Sans had made for him when he was younger. Since Papyrus was such a music lover, Sans went and made Papyrus a sort of suit that showed that interest of his. Papyrus always called it his "battle body". The big torso piece was yellow with a black treble clef on it. He was still wearing that white scarf with the black music sheet pattern.

"ARE YOU STILL PLAYING THAT THING!?" Papyrus asks.

"well, it's been quiet for so long," Sans says,"almost as if the entire town is gone,"

"SANS, YOU'VE HAD THAT THING FOREVER!" Papyrus says,"YOU HAVE MOVE ON TO OTHER THINGS!"

"i know that you're vast in your 'musical interest' and all, but i like this thing too much to see it go,"

Papyrus sighs, defeated.

"HEY, ABOUT THE HUMAN EARLIER, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THEM?"

"i dunno paps, remember that lady you introduced me to behind that door?"

"OF COURSE, WHY DO YOU ASK?"

"well, after that human showed up, i haven't heard her voice...you think...you think something might have happened?"

"SHE'S GOT BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN CHAT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF A HUMONGOUS DOOR," Papyrus says,"YOU'RE JUST WORRYING TOO MUCH,"

"i hope you're right..."

-88- (Sans' POV)

I stopped by Grillby's to see what he was up to. There was this stool in the right corner of the restaurant near the jukebox he had that he'd often sit on and play that brown acoustic guitar of his when everyone had their orders. Grillby wore a twilight blue tuxedo, pants, and black dress shoes. As I walk through the door, Grillby is already sitting in that same spot of his. I could tell because he only played that guitar when he was sitting on that stool. I noticed that the Dogs, that strange bunny creature, and the others weren't there anymore. Everything seemed..different, quiet. I manage to feel my way around, sit in the seat closest to Grillby, and listen as he continues to sound out peaceful tunes. They were slower than normal, as if he was slightly discouraged to play. He strums one final time on his guitar.

"Oh...hello, Sans," Grillby says,"Anything...bringing you here?"

"nah, i just wanted to relax for a bit," I answer, tiredly.

"Only one person came by today...a human..." He says,"They...didn't appreciate my music,"

"did...they do anything?"

"Well, nothing besides a very cold stare. It was very uncomfortable,"

"i couldn't tell, but i think i got the same response. they just walked right on past me,"

"...You know, Sans, I...think that human was heading in Papyrus' direction,"

I stand up a bit straighter than before, my attention grabbed.

"do you know where they are?"

"The edge of Snowdin...I think,"

"thanks, grillby," I say, getting out of my seat.

"Just...keep the music going, Sans," Grillby says, playing his guitar again.

I turn down the music on my headphones and hear voices coming from my left as soon as I step out of Grillby's. Heading down in that direction, they get clearer.

"WORRY NOT! I, PAPYRUS...WILL GLADLY BE YOUR FRIEND AND TUTOR!"

That was Papyrus' voice for sure. It was loud, like always. I could only assume he was speaking to the human from earlier. To be honest, I would've been lying if I said that there wasn't anything...off about them. I walk a bit faster, worry filling me.

"I, PAPYRUS, WELCOME YOU WITH OPEN ARMS!"

The footsteps I heard were slow and heavy. I couldn't see what was going on, but I...felt like things were going to go horribly wrong if I didn't do anything. I broke off into a run to get there in time.

"PAPYRUS, WAIT!" I yelled.

 _SLASH_

"W-WELL, THAT'S NOT WHAT I EXPECTED..."

The sound of a form disintegrating fills the air. Something heavy hits the ground.

"BUT...ST...STILL! I BELIEVE IN YOU!" Papyrus says,"YOU CAN DO A LITTLE BETTER! EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK SO! I...I PROMISE..."

 _Crunch_

"n-no..."

I heard the sound of something shattering. _Bones_. Then, the sound of something poofing to dust sounds out again.

"please...please no..."

People say that when you witness the death of someone you care about, it feels as if a piece of your being has been taken away.

"no...no, no no!"

That part you held onto for so long isn't there anymore and it's as if nothing is ever going to fill that empty void.

"PAPYRUS!"

But what I felt just then...there were no words for what I was feeling right now. It was just a big cluster of negative emotions that came all at once. It felt suffocating. Time practically stopped for me. I could hear the sound of footsteps heading farther off into the distance. Running forward, I step on something. As I pick it up, I realize that it's Papyrus' scarf.

"papyrus...i'm sorry,"

I should've been there...I should've payed closer attention. It's my fault. All of it...I bury my face in Papyrus' scarf, sobbing.

"i'm so sorry..."

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 **The making of this chapter required part of my heart and SOUL. So, please, make it all worthwhile and review on this. Your reviews help for a better story overall! And, plus, I just like reading them. If you guys enjoyed this chapter, please review, favorite, or follow for more updates on this story. Until then!**


	3. Cutting it Close

**Next chapter for my AU Undertone is A-Go! Slight backstory in this, but we're picking up this time. I've not much to say besides I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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What else was there for me to do but press on towards Asgore? I had to warn him a human had come down here and that they were after him. I moved along the path through Waterfall, Papyrus scarf wrapped around my neck firmly, my mouth covered by it. I could still feel a trace of his magic left in it. I won't lie, I really didn't feel like moving for the day. I just felt like going back to my house, laying in my bed, and silently stare at the ceiling. But...knowing that everyone else is in danger caused me to act. If I didn't at least TRY, there would only be more victims later. That human was ahead of me right now. Unless...I could try teleporting. But...that would be completely draining of my magic. Not to mention that I'll be extremely tired if that happens. To teleport, I'd need an exact focus on a location...but...as you can see, FOCUSING is something difficult for me, considering my blindness. I walked through Waterfall, guided by the lingering magic in Papyrus' scarf. I guess Paps was just that set on helping me, that he'd try even through death...My brother really IS the coolest.

It was only now that I realized what I lost. I never had that many moments with my brother. He was always away, trying to join the Royal Guard. Even now, he hasn't quite been able to join...Oh man, if Undyne found out about what happened to Paps...she'd be torn, destroyed!...But...I gotta tell her, regardless of what might start. You know, that's always been one of my biggest issues. I focus too much on what might happen instead of going through with it. So I have lots of internal actions instead of physical ones. At best, you'll see me wandering around Grillby's. Papyrus used to call me Sir Silent because I was so meek and fearful...And that's when I have to think...The reason I didn't go looking for that kid...was I...afraid of them? I mean, I know that someone who's probably murdered BUNCHES is someone to be afraid of, but I'm pretty sure I could put up a fight against them, so why...

I didn't have time to think before the sound of moving water came around. I jump a slight bit and turn my head in that direction.

"Hey, Sans, what're you doing out so late?" A voice asks.

That's definitely Aaron. Only he could have such a relaxed and indifferent voice. A harmonica plays out shortly after. It was an instrument he usually carried around.

"it's late?" I question, just to be sure.

"Yeah, we're actually supposed to be leaving the area," Aaron says,"Undyne says a human's coming through here. She doesn't want anyone injured,"

"you know where she is?"

"Yeah, but, one question,"Aaron says,"You're not...planning on seeing her, are you? Chances are, she could be fighting that human right now! I would risk it,"

I grab Papyrus' scarf tightly. My brother _died_ because of that kid. They're going to _pay_. Shaking slightly, I manage to force out an answer.

"...no, i just wanted to know," I lie.

"...Somehow, I have a feeling that you're not being honest with me," Aaron says,"If...if you really ARE bent on seeing her, just head along the boardwalk and take the straight path. DON'T go anywhere else...Stay safe,"

A harmonica plays and slowly fades out as the sound of water splashing fills the area. Aaron was gone. Once again, Papyrus' magic leads me through Waterfall. I enjoyed the small times where Paps would take me here to listen to Shyren's melody. No longer could you hear her song anymore. If you passed through this area, instead of hearing Shyren, it was dead silent, besides the sound of my footsteps and running water. The silence was almost constricting and suffocating. I missed the buzz of people moving throughout the area, the little concerts Shyren, Mettaton, and Napstablook went and had, and the overall friendliness and welcoming atmosphere this place gave off. Now...it just feels as if stepping into this area was my biggest mistake.

After taking the path Aaron gave me, a trumpet plays and I quickly step out of the way of whatever was coming. Sure enough, a person just BARELY crashed into me. They stopped running and stood in front of me, panting heavily.

"Y-yo...don't think of going in that direction!"

Monster Kid.

"s-something happen, kid?"

"Uh...Undyne was fighting that human earlier!" He says,"We gotta get out of here!"

"undyne was... **oh no** ,"

I break off in a sprint and fly through Waterfall.

"Hey! Where are ya going!? It's dangerous!"

Though Undyne was strong, I knew that the kid she was fighting was going to be a challenge for her. I know that I should have more faith in her abilities, but that kid just gave off an aura of malice. More sprinting and I heard two people clashing in a fight. That must be Undyne and the human.

"Thinking about what's led up to now...I can't lose," Undyne speaks,"Not when I know the cost of me losing,"

The sound of spears flying pierces the air. I can't get involved in this fight otherwise I risk hitting the wrong person. I should just hang back...or...I could use this moment to find Asgore. The human is busy fighting Undyne, who seemed to be generating a stronger magical energy than normal. I nod to myself and run off towards Hotland, hearing Undyne's words as I leave her and the human to battle.

"You're gonna have to try a little harder than THAT,"

I could only hope that she stood a chance against that human. For better or worse, I left the two of them to do their own thing. What happens next is completely up to fate.

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 **Aaaaaand that's a wrap for today! I stayed up a bit typing this. It's much more manageable than doing sooo many long paragraphs like I did with RESET and SAVE. This puts lets stress on me and gives me more sleeping time. Anyways, if you guys enjoyed this chapter, be sure to review, favorite, and follow for more updates on this story. Until then!**


	4. A Duty To Protect

I didn't like Hotland much at all. Never really was a "skeleton's world", as I would often say. Sometimes I was fearful I'd fall into that scalding liquid below. Of course, it never happened since I never bothered to stop by this place.

If skeletons could have human hearts, mine would be racing right about now. Something about the quietness of the area told me that there was something here, something unnatural. Of course the answer was the human, but the fact that they were able to pass me so easily is baffling. I'm sure I would've sensed them if I kept going along this path.

Although, now that I think about it, maybe it's best that I'm not able to see; I'd shrink away at the sight of the human. I won't lie, when it comes to bravery, my brother's braver than I am. My brother is the bravest monster out there, braver than Asgore himself! And he had a heart of gold that shined even whenever he was about to meet his end...

And...it was my fault that I hadn't done anything. My fault I was afraid. I can't believe I'm admitting that I'm afraid of a _human child_ , but it's true. I was terrified. Sometimes the thought will roll around repeatedly, and I'll just sink my head low in sadness. But eventually I had to realize that sulking over something that already happened wasn't going to get me anywhere no matter how painful it was. The time is now, so I have to make the most of it.

My headphones played sounds, noises that (combined with Papyrus' magic still lingering beside me in that scarf), would help me move throughout the place. That wasn't the only thing I would notice. There were the very clear heavy footsteps of a much bigger monster, sounding metallic. They had a sort of rhythm to them, the kind that you'd hear in one of those army marches. And considering there was no other metallic noise, I could only assume the monster was by himself.

"...Sans..."

That was the second royal guard. He never really told us his actual name, so we gave him to aliases he went under. The first was Royal Guard 02, since he was the second ever applied to the defense of the kingdom. The second was more casual, Ivan. You'd probably wonder why he would be named that, but it's a joke. Though I haven't seen it myself (obviously), I was told he could only see out of one eye. That's where the name Ivan came from.

"hey, ivan, have you seen the human?" I asked, "sorry i'm jumping right into this, but you must have heard something right?"

There was a change in breathing from Ivan, something I picked up on instantly. It sounded shallow, and it made me imagine someone that looked distraught, grief-stricken... _enraged_. Ivan was the silent but strong type, and picking with _those_ people was a terrible idea. I won't lie whenever I say that I actually backed up a few feet. No way am I getting my skull crushed because some dragon got angry.

"I was required to fight alongside RG 01 against the perpetrator," Ivan explained. "...They took him. _THEY TOOK HIM!_ "

"whoa wait what?" My eyesockets widened in disbelief, "you're kidding right?"

Silence. _He wasn't kidding._ No doubt he wanted to be.

"...i-i'm sorry." I lowered my head.

"Sorry isn't getting _Jess_ back," Ivan snapped.

And that shut me up...momentarily anyway.

"where's alphys? i need to talk to her...wait, you're still on the job?"

"Of course, I'm still on the job! The king is defending this world, _he does not care about one grieving person_...and I have a duty. I have a duty to protect now- even more so than before. For Jess, for you, for _everyone_."

I could hear the sound of a large flame erupting into the air. Ivan had breathed fire in his controlled rage.

"...Follow me." Ivan said.

I could only follow close behind and trust I wouldn't lose another friend. Life could truly become dark.


	5. Saving Grace

I left the lab without a clue as to where Alphys could be. Ivan and I hadn't seen her at all, and neither one of us really wanted to seek out the human to find her.

Well, at least, _I_ didn't want to find her. I didn't want to look for Alphys. I know it's wrong of me to hide from danger like this especially when tons of lives are on the line, but fear was an innate part of me. Now that I think about it, Papyrus was a braver person than I could ever manage to be. He put himself on the line to save all of us and maybe even _befriend_ the human. I gotta give him credit for that. I pull up my scarf near my chin and keep on walking. It was not a skeleton's world here at all.

Around the time of Hotland being created into some unique settlement for us monsters, Alphys got the bright idea to put conveyor belts everywhere. I thought the idea was pretty cool at first, but then when I tried to use one of the belts, it sent me in some wild direction that I couldn't get a clear footing on because _I COULDN'T SEE_. The result of my attempt at being a normal old skeleton wound up with me flopping on my face as I was thrown off the track. Nothing is ever right in a no-skeleton's world.

Ivan seemed to love the conveyor belts. Probably because he had a natural taste for adventure and unexplored areas. No idea why he chose the Royal Guard if that was the case. He seemed to be a free spirit, carrying me as he hopped from one belt to the next. I often asked why he didn't just fly, but he said that drawing attention to himself wasn't something that he wanted. Flying in the sky made it easier for him to be spotted, so I could understand why he didn't like doing that. Plus, I don't really like heights. It's just another fear of mine.

"hey, can we slow down?" I asked.

"Slow down?" Ivan asked, bewildered, "Are you mad?! There are lives on the line here! And you want to-"

"alright, alright. don't get your scales in a twist." I sighed.

"Did you seriously just-"

"yes."

"I- Nevermind."

\- 88 -

Not a sign of any baker spider, not a sign of a monster. Just dust. Dust for miles. The sight of it seemed to rile Ivan up, and he picked up the pace. Unfortunately for me, he jostled me about as he sprinted throughout the area, his thuds echoing as he trudged on ahead. You know, aside from the fact that this was, as I've said before, a no-skeleton's world, Ivan was making a lot of noise with the sound of his armor clanking together. What if the human had found us? What if we were attacked by some crazily paranoid monster? It could happen.

It was only then I realized that me being in stressful situations is not healthy for my feverish mind.

Ivan assured me we'd be safe as long as we continued on through the Core. The Core was the source of all magical electricity in the Underground. Alphys had tried to meddle with it years ago to no avail. The technology was manufactured by an old skeleton friend of mine W.D. Gaster. It's a common misconception that we're related, when we're actually not in any sort of way. We just share the same, y'know, _skeleton-yness._ Not a term? Oh well, it's a term now. We have the same skeleton-yness.

The Core, surprisingly, was inhabited by a few monsters that had managed to hide from the gaze of the human. Hearing them gave me a strange calmness, and I could feel Ivan relaxing due to them being around as well. I guess I could understand. To him, them existing means he wasn't a complete failure. Ivan was always the type to find some way to rationalize what he did, and he did it extremely well. Understandable, he had to train himself to do that if he wanted to keep a level mind and heart. Maybe what he said before wasn't completely wrong. Maybe he learned from being in hard times such as this.

Maybe I could learn from him.

It was at that moment, the flute sound from long ago played out. My, metaphorical, heart stopped.

"Ivan, sto-" I began.

"I know," he said.

I knew it was the human. I knew they would find us. It was Ivan! He was too loud, and now we're going to die. For the first time in a while, I felt afraid. I was _terrified_. I admit it, I'm afraid of a human child. I'm a scared skeleton that freezes in stressful situations. I don't know what to do! What is someone like me going to do!? I can't see, and the only reason I'm journeying throughout this area is because Papyrus had to buckle down and assist my sorry bony butt while I'm getting through this area. And even then, I needed to rely on _Ivan_ , who lost somebody because I was too late to stop that human before it went on that crazy murderous rampage throughout the _ENTIRE GOD DAMN UNDERGROUND!_

I shut my eyesockets tightly as Ivan dropped me, charging ahead at the human. What next was indescribable for me. I couldn't comprehend what was going on. I had lost my headphones.

 _Oh god..._

I stood up and looked around. Where were they!? Papyrus couldn't just help me see with the snap of a ghostly finger! I needed those! I looked around, but again saw nothing.

 _SLASH_

A roar sounded out as a thud hit the ground. Did he get them? Did Ivan actually-

I heard the sound of footsteps moving towards me. I was unable to see what was happening.

"Ivan? Did you win?"

"...Ivan this isn't funny, stop joking with me! Did you-"

" _No, he didn't."_

I froze on the spot. I didn't even need to feel around to know that the voice speaking to me wasn't Ivan. I was hearing the voice of the human child. I just stared off into some unknown void, staying completely still. I was going to die.

"It's pathetic, you know, how some people will exhaust themselves when a loved one dies," they said, "Life is a rug that continues on without the consideration for the lives that just blink out of it,"

"Wh-..." I was speechless.

"Humans are the same way. If someone that has no influence on their life dies, they won't mourn for the death of that person. They'll just drop two empty words of sorrow and continue on with life without another thought. Think about it. Think about the lives that have been discarded because of such a phenomenon. Perhaps it's best that they not care so much. Think about the burden that must come across them. It wells up in their hearts, fit to burst, before it _does_ burst, and they do something absolutely reckless. This is how life works. This is how pain works."

The words I heard come out of their mouth chilled me to the core. This kid was wrong. They had to be wrong about what they were saying.

"The heart is irrational, and it makes the person it hides inside of a puppet."

And that was all I heard before I was shoved off the side of the rock, sailing towards the lava below. A yell of horror came from me as I sailed towards it.

But then, my saving grace hit me in the face. Literally. My headphones came back, and I quickly put them on. Knowing my impending doom was coming, I tried to stop it.

"focus, focus... _GOD DANG IT FOCUS I DON'T WANNA DI-"_

And I found myself in New Home.


End file.
